Aviation Museum of New Hampshire Hosts the Rise Above Exhibit

Commemorative Air Force’s North American Aviation P-51C wears the red tail markings of the 332nd Fighter Group of World War II

Story and photos by Ken Kula

A memento in the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire from the old Manchester Army Air Base 

The Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT) is located in parts of the City of Manchester and the Town of Londonderry, New Hampshire. Nestled on the east side of the airport is the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, which displays a wide assortment of World War II artifacts with ties to New Hampshire. Much of today’s airport once encompassed the former U. S. Army’s Grenier Field (initially known as Manchester Army Air Base) during World War II. The Army airfield was a busy facility which trained bomber crews and then became their first staging point for delivery flights to Europe and Africa. Another bit of notable New Hampshire military aviation history detailed in the Museum includes the career of Colonel Harrison Thyng, a fighter ace in both World War II and the Korean War. The Colonel was born and raised in New Hampshire and helped found the New England Aeronautical Institute, later Daniel Webster College, in the 1960s. And there’s lots more about World War II in the Museum’s collection.

Part of the outside of the Rise Above trailer

The Museum hosts an annual PlaneFest! weekend every August. The 2025 event was held during a sultry mid-August weekend and featured the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF’s) “Rise Above” traveling exhibit.  Rise Above includes a traveling trailer which unfolds into a miniature theater for viewing a pair of short documentary films about the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) successes during World War II. Both groups were initially excluded from combat operations during the War; the “Tuskegee Airmen” were black pilots and groundcrew members who staffed a Fighter and a Bomber Squadron. At that time, a general perception was that the black man wasn’t capable of handling the complexity of a modern fighter plane. The fighter squadron ultimately went into combat and earned the respect and trust of other Army Air Force aircrewmen. Although not deployed, the bomber squadron was earmarked for inclusion in an assault of Japan if the island nation was invaded.

Inspirational “dog tags” are given out by CAF Rise Above personnel to inspire the youth of today. On the reverse side is the motto “Triumph Over Adversity”; on the front are these six positive attitudes used by Tuskegee Airmen: 1. Aim High 2. Believe In Yourself 3. Use Your Brain 4. Never Quit 5. Be Ready To Go and 6. Expect To Win

Artwork on the right side of the Mustang…

The CAF’s Redtail Squadron P-51C Mustang with the name “Tuskegee Airmen” emblazoned on its nose, was parked as a static display adjacent to the trailer. Later, as a story goes, an additional logo was added to the side of the Mustang… “By Request”… as their skills in their red-tailed Mustangs were recognized and requested by bomber crews for escort duties. The Commemorative Air Force crew of Chris Allen and Don Larson staffed the theater by themselves on Friday, answering questions and making sure all visitors would be accommodated within the air-conditioned trailer. During the rest of the weekend, museum and Civil Air Patrol members augmented the pair to staff the display. After the Rise Above exhibit packed up shop, the two CAF members would drive to Columbus, Ohio for the next weekend’s event.

The WASPs were not sent to the war’s front lines but were limited to non-combat duties such as ferrying and delivering aircraft within the U. S. There too was a perception of mistrust and questions of a woman’s limited ability to fly and fight in the beginning of the group’s formation, which were quickly dismissed as women proved that they could fly the latest technology’s aircraft, as well as the older trainers they used in the beginning of their pilot training. 

Howard Carter on the right side of this photo

On the first day of the PlaneFest! weekend (Friday), an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen visited the exhibit. Ninety-seven year old Howard Carter, who flew C-45s, C-47s and trained on P-51s right at the end of WWII arrived at the Museum on the back end of a relative’s motorcycle! In a few hours, I learned a whole lot more than I previously knew about segregation during the 1940s, as Howard recalled some of his training and military assignments. He also spoke about finishing his military time and, as a licensed pilot, wanted to fly for the airlines after the War ended. He tried to find a pilot job and said that even though he had lots of hours flying transports, the airlines wouldn’t accept a colored pilot at that time… so he had to find employment elsewhere.

Howard attracted considerable interest wherever he spoke, whether it be with the CAF’s Rise Above exhibit or the local CAF Squadron’s display. 

Members of the New England Wing of the Commemorative Air Force with Howard Carter

Members of the New England Chapter of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) were on hand to educate the public about their mission and show photos of their warbird – a Fairchild PT-23. The aircraft wasn’t displayed because of maintenance on the fabric covering of the trainer hadn’t been completed in time for it to be able to fly the short hop from its base at the Hampton Airfield in North Hampton, New Hampshire to Manchester, but there were plenty of photos to see and members to talk to. This relatively new Wing was started in 2021 and has grown to around 30 members. The Commemorative Air Force owns the trainer, but it is operated and maintained by the local unit. This New England chapter was started by then-youngest Unit Leader in the CAF, Nick Infantino, and the unit is always looking for more members who can assist with the preservation and presentation of this important piece of history.

The Commemorative Air Force’s collection has more than 180 aircraft, many are still flying.

As of 2025, the CAF operates 182 aircraft and had grown to 80 Chapters. The Commemorative Air Force’s mission is “To Educate, Inspire, and Honor. To do this we acquire, restore, and preserve, in flying condition, a complete collection of combat aircraft that were flown by all military services of the United States and selected aircraft of other nations for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.” The Rise Above exhibit is one of these Chapters.

The Museum itself held more PlaneFest! celebrations all weekend. On Saturday, honoring Orville Wright’s upcoming birthday (which was just a few days after the PlaneFest! weekend – he was born on August 19, 1871), a large sheet cake was displayed to an assembled crowd of spectators, who then happily consumed the cake during the afternoon.

The Air Museum’s simulator was loaded with a P-51 Mustang flight scenario

The Museum was open to the public all weekend and holds much more than just World War II memorabilia. A tribute to Northeast Airlines (home to the Yellowbirds) is housed within; Manchester was a stop for the airline as the airport grew just like the city of Manchester grew, especially during the 1960s and into the early 1970s before Northeast was absorbed by Delta Airlines. The Museum has a flight simulator too, and it was loaded with a P-51 Mustang program mimicking the Red Tail fighter outside.

Part of the Air Museum’s display of WASP Anita Paul’s careers

Also housed in the Museum is a tribute to WASP Anita Paul, whose life took a surprising turn after World War II. After high school, the Nashua, New Hampshire native left her home and took a job in the Army’s Quartermaster Corps in Washington D.C. While in the nation’s capital, she learned about the new Women Airforce Service Pilots program. As a Nashua youngster, she began to take an interest in flying but couldn’t afford any training when she was old enough to be licensed. Finally, she had the resources and while in the D. C. area, she earned her Private Pilot’s certification and applied to enter the WASPs. At the age 19, she became one of the 1,074 WASP pilots certified during the War. After she completed training at Sweetwater, Texas, she became an engineering and maintenance test pilot in Cessna UC-78 “Bamboo Bombers” in Altus, Oklahoma. The Cessnas were either repaired or modified airframes. On weekends, one of her duties was to fly a Catholic chaplain around to various bases for Sunday Masses. After the WASP program ended in 1944, she finished out her Army career back in the Quartermaster Corps. As a civilian again, she hoped for a flying missionary job, but that combination of flying and religious work eluded her, especially because she was a female. Soon, Anita Paul became Sister Teresa, a cloistered Carmalite nun, and left the U. S. for foreign monasteries including those in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. While serving in Guadeloupe, after coordinating through the Vatican, the now Mother Superior Teresa (not the sainted nun in India) was able to recall her WASP experiences in an interview at Baylor University. Eleven years later in 2010, WASPs were awarded Congressional Gold Medals, but Mother Teresa was unable to attend due to failing health. Just a few weeks after the awards ceremony, Mother Teresa/Anita Paul died at the age of 85 years old.

An actual Norden bombsight used during World War II, part of the Aviation Museum’s collection of artifacts. 

All in all, New Hampshire and its immediate surrounding area has a surprisingly rich aviation history which the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire presents. During the PlaneFest! weekend, some surprising history lessons were told, both in person and through the Museum. For more about this active organization, including how to join its ranks, go to: .https://aviationmuseumofnh.org/